Panel focuses on airport preclearance issue

BANGOR – Officials in Halifax, Nova Scotia, have filed an application requesting permission for preclearance at Bangor International Airport that now is under review by the U.S. State Department.

A special committee made up of Bangor City Council members, airport officials and other interested parties are opposed to Canada’s request for preclearance, but members said Friday they are open to a discussion that may result in an agreement that would favor the Bangor region.

“I don’t think anybody’s here to say we should just give something away,” committee member Joe Baldacci said. “We should maximize whatever leverage we have for the benefit of the city of Bangor.”

Committee members agreed and laid out a plan that they hoped would lead to an open discussion with Halifax officials.

The committee is working to organize a meeting with the U.S. congressional delegation, followed by a meeting with Halifax officials to discuss several aspects of a possible agreement with Canada.

One option, according to the airport’s legal counsel, is to ask Halifax to withdraw its application until an agreement can be made.

Committee members are worried that the originating preclearance could open the door for Halifax to offer in-transit preclearance, a profitable procedure that allows flights from outside the country, such as Europe, to clear through Bangor.

The committee cited in-transit clearance as its top priority for discussion, followed by air service options, indemnification to the airport and the city for lost revenues, marketing and security.

The Bangor airport is under stricter security regulations than Canada, which often makes the Canadian airports more attractive to international flights.

In the end, the decision to grant or deny preclearance is up to the U.S. State Department.

The committee was unsure when the state department’s review of Halifax’s application would be completed, but agreed that now was a good time to begin exploring options and opening up the dialogue between the two airports and their respective cities.

“We may not end up with anything,” Baldacci said. “But we’re not going to lose anything by just talking.”